Abstract

IceTop is an air-shower array located on the Antarctic ice sheet at the geographic South Pole. IceTop can detect an astrophysical flux of neutrons from Galactic sources as an excess of cosmic-ray air showers arriving from the source direction. Neutrons are undeflected by the Galactic magnetic field and can typically travel 10 (E/PeV) pc before decay. Two searches are performed using 4 yr of the IceTop data set to look for a statistically significant excess of events with energies above 10 PeV (1016 eV) arriving within a small solid angle. The all-sky search method covers from -90° to approximately -50° in declination. No significant excess is found. A targeted search is also performed, looking for significant correlation with candidate sources in different target sets. This search uses a higher-energy cut (100 PeV) since most target objects lie beyond 1 kpc. The target sets include pulsars with confirmed TeV energy photon fluxes and high-mass X-ray binaries. No significant correlation is found for any target set. Flux upper limits are determined for both searches, which can constrain Galactic neutron sources and production scenarios.

title = "SEARCH for SOURCES of HIGH-ENERGY NEUTRONS with FOUR YEARS of DATA from the ICETOP DETECTOR",

abstract = "IceTop is an air-shower array located on the Antarctic ice sheet at the geographic South Pole. IceTop can detect an astrophysical flux of neutrons from Galactic sources as an excess of cosmic-ray air showers arriving from the source direction. Neutrons are undeflected by the Galactic magnetic field and can typically travel 10 (E/PeV) pc before decay. Two searches are performed using 4 yr of the IceTop data set to look for a statistically significant excess of events with energies above 10 PeV (1016 eV) arriving within a small solid angle. The all-sky search method covers from -90° to approximately -50° in declination. No significant excess is found. A targeted search is also performed, looking for significant correlation with candidate sources in different target sets. This search uses a higher-energy cut (100 PeV) since most target objects lie beyond 1 kpc. The target sets include pulsars with confirmed TeV energy photon fluxes and high-mass X-ray binaries. No significant correlation is found for any target set. Flux upper limits are determined for both searches, which can constrain Galactic neutron sources and production scenarios.",

author = "Aartsen, {M. G.} and K. Abraham and M. Ackermann and J. Adams and Aguilar, {J. A.} and M. Ahlers and M. Ahrens and D. Altmann and K. Andeen and T. Anderson and I. Ansseau and G. Anton and M. Archinger and C. Arg{\"u}elles and J. Auffenberg and S. Axani and X. Bai and Barwick, {S. W.} and V. Baum and R. Bay and Beatty, {J. J.} and Tjus, {J. Becker} and Becker, {K. H.} and S. Benzvi and P. Berghaus and D. Berley and E. Bernardini and A. Bernhard and Besson, {D. Z.} and G. Binder and D. Bindig and M. Bissok and E. Blaufuss and S. Blot and C. Bohm and M. B{\"o}rner and F. Bos and D. Bose and S. B{\"o}ser and O. Botner and J. Braun and L. Brayeur and Bretz, {H. P.} and A. Burgman and T. Carver and M. Casier and E. Cheung and D. Chirkin and A. Christov and K. Clark and L. Classen and S. Coenders and Collin, {G. H.} and Conrad, {J. M.} and Cowen, {D. F.} and R. Cross and M. Day and Andr{\'e}, {J. P.A.M.D.} and Clercq, {C. De} and Rosendo, {E. Del Pino} and H. Dembinski and Ridder, {S. De} and P. Desiati and Vries, {K. D.De} and Wasseige, {G. De} and With, {M. De} and T. Deyoung and D{\'i}az-V{\'e}lez, {J. C.} and Lorenzo, {V. Di} and H. Dujmovic and Dumm, {J. P.} and M. Dunkman and B. Eberhardt and T. Ehrhardt and B. Eichmann and P. Eller and S. Euler and Evenson, {P. A.} and S. Fahey and Fazely, {A. R.} and J. Feintzeig and J. Felde and K. Filimonov and C. Finley and S. Flis and F{\"o}sig, {C. C.} and A. Franckowiak and E. Friedman and T. Fuchs and Gaisser, {T. K.} and J. Gallagher and L. Gerhardt and K. Ghorbani and W. Giang and L. Gladstone and M. Glagla and T. Gl{\"u}senkamp and A. Goldschmidt and G. Golup and Gonzalez, {J. G.} and D. Grant and Z. Griffith and C. Haack and Ismail, {A. Haj} and A. Hallgren and F. Halzen and E. Hansen and B. Hansmann and T. Hansmann and K. Hanson and D. Hebecker and D. Heereman and K. Helbing and R. Hellauer and S. Hickford and J. Hignight and Hill, {G. C.} and Hoffman, {K. D.} and R. Hoffmann and K. Holzapfel and K. Hoshina and F. Huang and M. Huber and K. Hultqvist and S. In and A. Ishihara and E. Jacobi and Japaridze, {G. S.} and M. Jeong and K. Jero and Jones, {B. J.P.} and M. Jurkovic and A. Kappes and T. Karg and A. Karle and U. Katz and M. Kauer and A. Keivani and Kelley, {J. L.} and J. Kemp and A. Kheirandish and M. Kim and T. Kintscher and J. Kiryluk and T. Kittler and Klein, {S. R.} and G. Kohnen and R. Koirala and H. Kolanoski and R. Konietz and L. K{\"o}pke and C. Kopper and S. Kopper and Koskinen, {D. J.} and M. Kowalski and K. Krings and M. Kroll and G. Kr{\"u}ckl and C. Kr{\"u}ger and J. Kunnen and S. Kunwar and N. Kurahashi and T. Kuwabara and M. Labare and Lanfranchi, {J. L.} and Larson, {M. J.} and F. Lauber and D. Lennarz and M. Lesiak-Bzdak and M. Leuermann and J. Leuner and L. Lu and J. L{\"u}nemann and J. Madsen and G. Maggi and Mahn, {K. B.M.} and S. Mancina and M. Mandelartz and R. Maruyama and K. Mase and R. Maunu and F. McNally and K. Meagher and M. Medici and M. Meier and A. Meli and T. Menne and G. Merino and T. Meures and S. Miarecki and L. Mohrmann and T. Montaruli and M. Moulai and R. Nahnhauer and U. Naumann and G. Neer and H. Niederhausen and Nowicki, {S. C.} and Nygren, {D. R.} and Pollmann, {A. Obertacke} and A. Olivas and A. O'Murchadha and T. Palczewski and H. Pandya and Pankova, {D. V.} and Penek and Pepper, {J. A.} and Heros, {C. P{\'e}rez De Los} and D. Pieloth and E. Pinat and Price, {P. B.} and Przybylski, {G. T.} and M. Quinnan and C. Raab and L. R{\"a}del and M. Rameez and K. Rawlins and R. Reimann and B. Relethford and M. Relich and E. Resconi and W. Rhode and M. Richman and B. Riedel and S. Robertson and M. Rongen and C. Rott and T. Ruhe and D. Ryckbosch and D. Rysewyk and L. Sabbatini and Herrera, {S. E.Sanchez} and A. Sandrock and J. Sandroos and S. Sarkar and K. Satalecka and M. Schimp and P. Schlunder and T. Schmidt and S. Schoenen and S. Sch{\"o}neberg and L. Schumacher and D. Seckel and S. Seunarine and D. Soldin and M. Song and Spiczak, {G. M.} and C. Spiering and M. Stahlberg and T. Stanev and A. Stasik and A. Steuer and T. Stezelberger and Stokstad, {R. G.} and A. St{\"o}ssl and R. Str{\"o}m and Strotjohann, {N. L.} and Sullivan, {G. W.} and M. Sutherland and H. Taavola and I. Taboada and J. Tatar and F. Tenholt and S. Ter-Antonyan and A. Terliuk and G. Te{\v s}i{\'c} and S. Tilav and Toale, {P. A.} and Tobin, {M. N.} and S. Toscano and D. Tosi and M. Tselengidou and A. Turcati and E. Unger and M. Usner and J. Vandenbroucke and Eijndhoven, {N. Van} and S. Vanheule and Rossem, {M. Van} and Santen, {J. Van} and J. Veenkamp and M. Vehring and M. Voge and M. Vraeghe and C. Walck and A. Wallace and M. Wallraff and N. Wandkowsky and Ch Weaver and Weiss, {M. J.} and C. Wendt and S. Westerhoff and Whelan, {B. J.} and S. Wickmann and K. Wiebe and Wiebusch, {C. H.} and L. Wille and Williams, {D. R.} and L. Wills and M. Wolf and Wood, {T. R.} and E. Woolsey and K. Woschnagg and Xu, {D. L.} and Xu, {X. W.} and Y. Xu and Yanez, {J. P.} and G. Yodh and S. Yoshida and M. Zoll",

T1 - SEARCH for SOURCES of HIGH-ENERGY NEUTRONS with FOUR YEARS of DATA from the ICETOP DETECTOR

AU - Aartsen, M. G.

AU - Abraham, K.

AU - Ackermann, M.

AU - Adams, J.

AU - Aguilar, J. A.

AU - Ahlers, M.

AU - Ahrens, M.

AU - Altmann, D.

AU - Andeen, K.

AU - Anderson, T.

AU - Ansseau, I.

AU - Anton, G.

AU - Archinger, M.

AU - Argüelles, C.

AU - Auffenberg, J.

AU - Axani, S.

AU - Bai, X.

AU - Barwick, S. W.

AU - Baum, V.

AU - Bay, R.

AU - Beatty, J. J.

AU - Tjus, J. Becker

AU - Becker, K. H.

AU - Benzvi, S.

AU - Berghaus, P.

AU - Berley, D.

AU - Bernardini, E.

AU - Bernhard, A.

AU - Besson, D. Z.

AU - Binder, G.

AU - Bindig, D.

AU - Bissok, M.

AU - Blaufuss, E.

AU - Blot, S.

AU - Bohm, C.

AU - Börner, M.

AU - Bos, F.

AU - Bose, D.

AU - Böser, S.

AU - Botner, O.

AU - Braun, J.

AU - Brayeur, L.

AU - Bretz, H. P.

AU - Burgman, A.

AU - Carver, T.

AU - Casier, M.

AU - Cheung, E.

AU - Chirkin, D.

AU - Christov, A.

AU - Clark, K.

AU - Classen, L.

AU - Coenders, S.

AU - Collin, G. H.

AU - Conrad, J. M.

AU - Cowen, D. F.

AU - Cross, R.

AU - Day, M.

AU - André, J. P.A.M.D.

AU - Clercq, C. De

AU - Rosendo, E. Del Pino

AU - Dembinski, H.

AU - Ridder, S. De

AU - Desiati, P.

AU - Vries, K. D.De

AU - Wasseige, G. De

AU - With, M. De

AU - Deyoung, T.

AU - Díaz-Vélez, J. C.

AU - Lorenzo, V. Di

AU - Dujmovic, H.

AU - Dumm, J. P.

AU - Dunkman, M.

AU - Eberhardt, B.

AU - Ehrhardt, T.

AU - Eichmann, B.

AU - Eller, P.

AU - Euler, S.

AU - Evenson, P. A.

AU - Fahey, S.

AU - Fazely, A. R.

AU - Feintzeig, J.

AU - Felde, J.

AU - Filimonov, K.

AU - Finley, C.

AU - Flis, S.

AU - Fösig, C. C.

AU - Franckowiak, A.

AU - Friedman, E.

AU - Fuchs, T.

AU - Gaisser, T. K.

AU - Gallagher, J.

AU - Gerhardt, L.

AU - Ghorbani, K.

AU - Giang, W.

AU - Gladstone, L.

AU - Glagla, M.

AU - Glüsenkamp, T.

AU - Goldschmidt, A.

AU - Golup, G.

AU - Gonzalez, J. G.

AU - Grant, D.

AU - Griffith, Z.

AU - Haack, C.

AU - Ismail, A. Haj

AU - Hallgren, A.

AU - Halzen, F.

AU - Hansen, E.

AU - Hansmann, B.

AU - Hansmann, T.

AU - Hanson, K.

AU - Hebecker, D.

AU - Heereman, D.

AU - Helbing, K.

AU - Hellauer, R.

AU - Hickford, S.

AU - Hignight, J.

AU - Hill, G. C.

AU - Hoffman, K. D.

AU - Hoffmann, R.

AU - Holzapfel, K.

AU - Hoshina, K.

AU - Huang, F.

AU - Huber, M.

AU - Hultqvist, K.

AU - In, S.

AU - Ishihara, A.

AU - Jacobi, E.

AU - Japaridze, G. S.

AU - Jeong, M.

AU - Jero, K.

AU - Jones, B. J.P.

AU - Jurkovic, M.

AU - Kappes, A.

AU - Karg, T.

AU - Karle, A.

AU - Katz, U.

AU - Kauer, M.

AU - Keivani, A.

AU - Kelley, J. L.

AU - Kemp, J.

AU - Kheirandish, A.

AU - Kim, M.

AU - Kintscher, T.

AU - Kiryluk, J.

AU - Kittler, T.

AU - Klein, S. R.

AU - Kohnen, G.

AU - Koirala, R.

AU - Kolanoski, H.

AU - Konietz, R.

AU - Köpke, L.

AU - Kopper, C.

AU - Kopper, S.

AU - Koskinen, D. J.

AU - Kowalski, M.

AU - Krings, K.

AU - Kroll, M.

AU - Krückl, G.

AU - Krüger, C.

AU - Kunnen, J.

AU - Kunwar, S.

AU - Kurahashi, N.

AU - Kuwabara, T.

AU - Labare, M.

AU - Lanfranchi, J. L.

AU - Larson, M. J.

AU - Lauber, F.

AU - Lennarz, D.

AU - Lesiak-Bzdak, M.

AU - Leuermann, M.

AU - Leuner, J.

AU - Lu, L.

AU - Lünemann, J.

AU - Madsen, J.

AU - Maggi, G.

AU - Mahn, K. B.M.

AU - Mancina, S.

AU - Mandelartz, M.

AU - Maruyama, R.

AU - Mase, K.

AU - Maunu, R.

AU - McNally, F.

AU - Meagher, K.

AU - Medici, M.

AU - Meier, M.

AU - Meli, A.

AU - Menne, T.

AU - Merino, G.

AU - Meures, T.

AU - Miarecki, S.

AU - Mohrmann, L.

AU - Montaruli, T.

AU - Moulai, M.

AU - Nahnhauer, R.

AU - Naumann, U.

AU - Neer, G.

AU - Niederhausen, H.

AU - Nowicki, S. C.

AU - Nygren, D. R.

AU - Pollmann, A. Obertacke

AU - Olivas, A.

AU - O'Murchadha, A.

AU - Palczewski, T.

AU - Pandya, H.

AU - Pankova, D. V.

AU - Penek,

AU - Pepper, J. A.

AU - Heros, C. Pérez De Los

AU - Pieloth, D.

AU - Pinat, E.

AU - Price, P. B.

AU - Przybylski, G. T.

AU - Quinnan, M.

AU - Raab, C.

AU - Rädel, L.

AU - Rameez, M.

AU - Rawlins, K.

AU - Reimann, R.

AU - Relethford, B.

AU - Relich, M.

AU - Resconi, E.

AU - Rhode, W.

AU - Richman, M.

AU - Riedel, B.

AU - Robertson, S.

AU - Rongen, M.

AU - Rott, C.

AU - Ruhe, T.

AU - Ryckbosch, D.

AU - Rysewyk, D.

AU - Sabbatini, L.

AU - Herrera, S. E.Sanchez

AU - Sandrock, A.

AU - Sandroos, J.

AU - Sarkar, S.

AU - Satalecka, K.

AU - Schimp, M.

AU - Schlunder, P.

AU - Schmidt, T.

AU - Schoenen, S.

AU - Schöneberg, S.

AU - Schumacher, L.

AU - Seckel, D.

AU - Seunarine, S.

AU - Soldin, D.

AU - Song, M.

AU - Spiczak, G. M.

AU - Spiering, C.

AU - Stahlberg, M.

AU - Stanev, T.

AU - Stasik, A.

AU - Steuer, A.

AU - Stezelberger, T.

AU - Stokstad, R. G.

AU - Stössl, A.

AU - Ström, R.

AU - Strotjohann, N. L.

AU - Sullivan, G. W.

AU - Sutherland, M.

AU - Taavola, H.

AU - Taboada, I.

AU - Tatar, J.

AU - Tenholt, F.

AU - Ter-Antonyan, S.

AU - Terliuk, A.

AU - Tešić, G.

AU - Tilav, S.

AU - Toale, P. A.

AU - Tobin, M. N.

AU - Toscano, S.

AU - Tosi, D.

AU - Tselengidou, M.

AU - Turcati, A.

AU - Unger, E.

AU - Usner, M.

AU - Vandenbroucke, J.

AU - Eijndhoven, N. Van

AU - Vanheule, S.

AU - Rossem, M. Van

AU - Santen, J. Van

AU - Veenkamp, J.

AU - Vehring, M.

AU - Voge, M.

AU - Vraeghe, M.

AU - Walck, C.

AU - Wallace, A.

AU - Wallraff, M.

AU - Wandkowsky, N.

AU - Weaver, Ch

AU - Weiss, M. J.

AU - Wendt, C.

AU - Westerhoff, S.

AU - Whelan, B. J.

AU - Wickmann, S.

AU - Wiebe, K.

AU - Wiebusch, C. H.

AU - Wille, L.

AU - Williams, D. R.

AU - Wills, L.

AU - Wolf, M.

AU - Wood, T. R.

AU - Woolsey, E.

AU - Woschnagg, K.

AU - Xu, D. L.

AU - Xu, X. W.

AU - Xu, Y.

AU - Yanez, J. P.

AU - Yodh, G.

AU - Yoshida, S.

AU - Zoll, M.

PY - 2016/10/20

Y1 - 2016/10/20

N2 - IceTop is an air-shower array located on the Antarctic ice sheet at the geographic South Pole. IceTop can detect an astrophysical flux of neutrons from Galactic sources as an excess of cosmic-ray air showers arriving from the source direction. Neutrons are undeflected by the Galactic magnetic field and can typically travel 10 (E/PeV) pc before decay. Two searches are performed using 4 yr of the IceTop data set to look for a statistically significant excess of events with energies above 10 PeV (1016 eV) arriving within a small solid angle. The all-sky search method covers from -90° to approximately -50° in declination. No significant excess is found. A targeted search is also performed, looking for significant correlation with candidate sources in different target sets. This search uses a higher-energy cut (100 PeV) since most target objects lie beyond 1 kpc. The target sets include pulsars with confirmed TeV energy photon fluxes and high-mass X-ray binaries. No significant correlation is found for any target set. Flux upper limits are determined for both searches, which can constrain Galactic neutron sources and production scenarios.

AB - IceTop is an air-shower array located on the Antarctic ice sheet at the geographic South Pole. IceTop can detect an astrophysical flux of neutrons from Galactic sources as an excess of cosmic-ray air showers arriving from the source direction. Neutrons are undeflected by the Galactic magnetic field and can typically travel 10 (E/PeV) pc before decay. Two searches are performed using 4 yr of the IceTop data set to look for a statistically significant excess of events with energies above 10 PeV (1016 eV) arriving within a small solid angle. The all-sky search method covers from -90° to approximately -50° in declination. No significant excess is found. A targeted search is also performed, looking for significant correlation with candidate sources in different target sets. This search uses a higher-energy cut (100 PeV) since most target objects lie beyond 1 kpc. The target sets include pulsars with confirmed TeV energy photon fluxes and high-mass X-ray binaries. No significant correlation is found for any target set. Flux upper limits are determined for both searches, which can constrain Galactic neutron sources and production scenarios.